Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-08-06

African moon. A gentle breeze fills the
huge sail of our dhow, and draws us through
the water that ripples unsteady against
our sides. Most of the men are sleeping
forward, for 1t is near midnight, but a
stout swa. ny Arab, Mahomed by name,
stands at the tiller lazily steering by the
stars. Three miles or more to our star
board is a low dim line. 1t is the eastern
shore Of Central Africa. We arc running
to the southwark, before the northeast
monsoon, between the mainland and the
reef that for hundreds of miles fringes that
p~erilous coast. The night is quiet, so quiet
that a whisper can be heard fore and aft
the 'dhow; SO quiet that n faint booming
sound rolls across the water to us from
the distant land.
The Arab at the tiller holds up his hand,
and says one word: "Simb0r' Qion).
We all sit up and listen. Then it comes
again, a slow, majestic sound that thrills
us TO the marrow.
Tomorrow, by ten o'clock l say, eve
ought, if the captain is not out in his reck-
oning, which | think very probable, to
make this mysterious rock with a mans
head and begin our shooting"
"And begin our search for the ruined
city and the Fire Of Life" corrected Leo,
taking hi9 Pipe from his mouth and laugh
ing 2 little.
"Nonsense!" Z answered. "You were
airing your Arabic with that man at the
tilter this afternoon. What did he tell
you? lie has been trading (slavc-trading,
probably up and down these ATTITUDES for
half Of his iniquitous life, and once landed
on this very man rock. Did he ever hear
anything Of the ruined city or the ~caves?''
NO. answered Leo. lie says that the
country is all swamp behind, and full Of
snakes, especially pythons, and game, and
that no man lives there. But then there is
a belt OF swamp all along the east African
coast, so that does not go for much"
Yes" ] said, lit does-it goes for ma
laria. You see what sort Of an opinion
these gentry have of the country. Notone
of them will 20 with us. They think that
we are mad, and upon my word | believe
that they are right. IF ever we see old
England again | shall be aStonished. How
ever, ii does not greatly matter to me, at
my age, but | am anxious for you, Leo, and
Job. It's a Tom FOOLS business, my boy"
"Al right, Uncle Horace. SO far as ]
am concerned, | am willing TO take my
chance. Look! What is that cloud?" and
he pointed to n dark blotch upon the starry
sky. some miles astern OF US.
go and ask the man at the t|iller," said.
He rose and stretched his long arms, and
went. Presently he returned.
"IIe says ii is a squall, but it will pass
far OF one side Of u.s."
Just then ~Jobcameup looking very stout
and English in his shooting suit OF brown
flannel, and with a sort Of ~perplcXed APP
pcarance upon his honest round face that
had been very common with him since he
got into these strange waters.
please, sir" he said, touching his sun
hat, which was stuck on TO the back of his
head in Il somewhat iudicrous fashion, las
we have got all those guns and things in
the whale-boat astern, to say nothing Of
the provisions in the lockers, | think it
would be best if ] pot down and slept i'll
der. l don't like the look5'-here he
dropped his voice to n portentous whisper
-"of these black gentry; they have such a
wonderful thievish way about them. Sup
posing nOw, that some Of them were to slip
into the boat at night and cut the cable,
and make Off with her? 1t would be a
pretty 60, that would"
The Whale-boat, ! may explain, was one
that we had had built at Dundee, in the
north Of England, and brought with us, as
we knew that this coast was a network of
creeks, and that we might require some
thing TO navigate them with. She was n
beautiful boat, thirty feet in Tenth, with a
center board for sailing, copper-b ottomed
to keep the worms out of her, and full of
water-tight compartments. The captain
Of the dhow had old us that when we
reached the rock, which he knew well, and
which appeared TO be identical with the
one described upon the sherd and by Leo's
father. he would not probably be able to
RIM up TO il on account of the shadows and
breakers, so we had employed three hours
that very morning, whilst we were totally
becalmed, the wind having dropped at
sunrise, in transferring most Of our goods
and chattels to the Whalc-boat, placing the
runs, ammunition. and preserved provis-
ions in the watcr-tight lockers specially
prepared for them. SO that when we did
sight the tabled rock we should have moth
ing TO do but step into the boat and run
her ashore. Another reason that induced
us to take this precautionary step was that
Arab captains are apt TO rnn past the point
that they are making, either from careless
ness or owing to a mistake in its identity.
Now. rs sailors will know, it is quite i'm
possible for n dhoW which is only rugged to
run before the monsoon TO beat back
against il. Therefore We got our boat
ready to row for the rock at any moment
Wei, Job l said, perhaps it would
be as well. There are lots of blankets
there. only be careful to keep out of the
moon, or it may turn your head or blind
YOU"
Lord, sir, ! don't think it would much
matter if it did, ii is that turned already
!, with the sight of these blackamoors and
their filthy, thieving ways. They are only
fit for muck, they are; and they smell bad
enough for it already"
job, it will be perceived, was not at
tached to the manner and customs OF ouI
dark-skinned brothers.
Accordingly we hauled mp the boat by
!. the tow-rope till it was right under the
l stern of the dhow, and Job bundle into
her about as gracefully rs n sack of pota
toes. Then we returned and sat down OF
, the deck again, and smoked and talked il
! little gusts and jerks. The night was ST
l lovely, and our brains were so full of sup
; pressed excitement Of one sort and anothe
y that we did not feel inclined TO turn in
i For nearly an hour we sat thus, and then
) | think we both doZed of. 1t least | hav'
f, n faint recollection of Leo slecpily explain
ing that the head was not n bad place Il
Il. ~ Iu,a,I, 70 ypt, coI1II cotrh him pYnct